Abstract

Hermaphrditism as an abnormal phenomenon has been recorded among many
Indian fishes (Chacko and Krishnamoorthy, 1949 ; Nayak, 1959 ; Prabhu and
Antony Raja, 1959 ; Raju, 1960 ; Rao, 1962 ; Thomas and Raju, 1962 and Antony
Raja, 1963). Certain other abnormalities such as parasitized ovary have also been
described (Raju, op. cit., and Annigeri, 1961). In the course of studying the maturity
and spawning of the oil sardine from the landings at Cannanore, five instances
of deviation from the normal gonadial set-up have been met with, and since these
appear to be the first record of the kind in the oil sardine they have been described
in the present note.